Digital media communication protocol

ABSTRACT

A digital media communication protocol structured to selectively transmit one or more digital media files between a media terminal and a media node via a communication link on an interactive computer network. The communication link is initiated by the media terminal, wherein the media terminal is disposed in an accessible relation to the interactive computer network. The digital media communication protocol, and in particular, the communication link, is further structured to bypass at least one security measure, such as, for example, a password, security key, and/or firewall.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present specification is generally directed to a digital mediacommunication protocol structured to facilitate transferring and/ortransmitting one or more digital media files to and/or from a mediaterminal and a media node via at least one interactive computer network.

2. Background

As technology continues to develop and play a significant role intoday's society, a vast majority of portable devices, including cellulartelephones, portable MP3 players, handheld or portable game consoles,Personal Digital Assistants (“PDA”), etc. are equipped with memorydevices, such as hard drives and/or removable flash or memory cards,which are capable of holding or storing large amounts of data and ordigital media files including digital photographs, videos, audio/musicfiles, etc. Accordingly, with the advent of such devices having thesecapabilities, individuals or users are more inclined to carry aroundtheir media files, such as, for example, digital photo albums, familyvideos, and/or favorite music tracks.

The drawback to the above noted portable media devices, however, is thatmany of the devices include relatively small display screens, some ofwhich display poor quality photos and/or videos. In addition, thespeakers associated with the corresponding portable device(s) aretypically rather small and produce minimal or poor sound therefrom.

In addition, the individuals or users of the media devices may desire toshare the digital media files and/or transfer, display, or play thefiles on a computer or other media device equipped with a larger orbetter quality screen, or having higher quality speakers than thatdisposed on the portable device(s). In addition, some media devices mayhave better editing software, or have access to the World Wide Web tofurther distribute the digital media files.

Accordingly, it would be advantageous if the digital media communicationprotocol of the present specification is structured to facilitatetransferring or transmitting one or more digital media files between twoor more media devices, such as a media terminal and/or a media node, viaat least one interactive computer network. In particular, it would bebeneficial if the digital media communication protocol includes acommunication link structured to bypass at least one or more securitymeasures, such as a password and/or firewall, employed by theinteractive computer network, the corresponding networking devices,and/or the particular media devices themselves.

In addition, once the communication link is established it would beparticularly beneficial if the various media devices, including themedia terminal(s) and/or media node(s), are structured to display, save,edit, manipulate, and/or transfer the one or more digital media files.

SUMMARY

The present specification is directed to a digital media communicationprotocol having at least one media terminal and at least one media node.In particular, the media terminal of at least one embodiment includes acomputer, including but not limited to a desktop computer, mobile orlaptop computer, PDA, cellular telephone, etc., and is disposed in anaccessible relation to one or more interactive computer networks. In atleast one embodiment, the media node includes, but is in no way limitedto, a portable device such as, for example, a mobile computer, PDA,cellular telephone, handheld game console, portable MP3 player, etc. Inyet another embodiment, however, the media node includes a desktopcomputer or other like device. Furthermore, the interactive computernetwork of the present specification may include any one or morecomputer networks, including home, office, private, and/or limitednetworks, as well as access to the World Wide Web, for example, via theInternet.

In addition, at least one embodiment of the present system includes awireless range structured to permit authorized access to the one or moreinteractive computer networks. Moreover, the media node(s) is disposablewithin the wireless range, wherein the media node is detectable by themedia terminal disposed in accessible relation to the interactivecomputer network. The present specification further includes acommunication link initiated by the media terminal and structured todispose the media terminal and the media node in a communicativerelation with one another via the interactive computer network.

Once the communication link is established, the media terminal and themedia node are structured to transmit at least one digital media filetherebetween via the communication link. In particular, the mediaterminal and/or media node is structured to display, save, edit,manipulate, and/or transfer or send the digital media file.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the present systemwill become more clear when the drawings as well as the detaileddescription are taken into consideration.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

For a fuller understanding of the nature of the present system,reference should be had to the following detailed description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a schematic representation of one embodiment of the digitalmedia communication protocol in accordance with the presentspecification.

FIG. 2 is a schematic representation of another embodiment of thedigital media communication protocol in accordance with the presentspecification.

FIG. 3 is a schematic representation of yet another embodiment of thedigital media communication protocol in accordance with the presentspecification.

FIG. 4 is a partial flow chart of at least one illustrativeimplementation of the digital media communication protocol of thepresent specification.

Like reference numerals refer to like parts throughout the several viewsof the drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

As shown in the accompanying drawings, the present specification relatesto a digital media communication protocol, generally indicated as 10. Asillustrated in FIGS. 1 through 3, at least one embodiment of the presentprotocol or system 10 includes one or more media terminals 20 and one ormore media nodes 30. In particular, the media terminal(s) 20 of at leastone embodiment is disposed in an accessible relation to at least oneinteractive computer network 40 and may include, for example, a computerprocessing device 22, an input device 24, and a display device 26.Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 1, the media terminal(s) 20 of the variousembodiments described herein may include a desktop computer, however,any device structured to facilitate the practice of the present systemin the intended fashion may be utilized, including but in no way limitedto a laptop or notebook computer, PDA, video game console, mobiletelephone, etc.

The media node(s) 30 of at least one embodiment of the present system 10generally includes a portable device such as a cellular or mobiletelephone, PDA, portable mp3 player, laptop or notebook computer, or anyother digital media device structured to facilitate the practice of thepresent system in the intended manner. In at least one embodiment,however, the media node 30 is not limited to a portable device, and mayinclude a more stationary device or structure such as, for example, adesktop computer.

Furthermore, the various embodiments of the present specificationinclude at least one interactive computer network 40, 40′. Inparticular, as illustrated in FIG. 1, at least one embodiment includesone or more home, office, private, limited, or closed interactivecomputer networks 40 at least partially defined by one or morenetworking devices 42, including but not limited to a router, accesspoint, and/or switch. Accordingly, the interactive computer network 40may include a Local Area Network (“LAN”), Wide Area Network (“WAN”),Private Area Network (“PAN”), peer-to-peer network, Bluetooth network,etc. As best shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, it is also contemplated that,especially wherein the interactive computer network 40 is a Bluetooth orpeer-to-peer network, the media terminal(s) 20 and/or the media node(s)30 can function as the networking device(s) 42, at least to the extentof defining the interactive computer network 40. Additionally, andreferring again to FIG. 1, at least one interactive computer network 40′of at least one embodiment includes access to the World Wide Web, forexample via the Internet. Such access to the World Wide Web 40′ may befacilitated in any manner, including but not limited to, via a cable orDSL modem 44, as shown in FIG. 1, or via one or more satellites 46and/or one or more towers or base stations 48, as illustrated in FIG. 2.

In addition, and still referring to FIGS. 1 through 3, at least oneembodiment of the present system 10 includes a wireless range 50structured to permit access to the one or more interactive computernetworks 40. In particular, as shown in FIG. 1, the wireless range 50may be at least partially defined by networking devices 42, such as awireless router, access point, switch, etc. In yet another embodiment,as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, however, the wireless range 50 may bepartially defined by the media terminal 20 and/or media node 30, suchas, for example, wherein the interactive computer network 40 includes aBluetooth or peer-to-peer network.

In addition, and as an attempt to minimize or eliminate unauthorizedaccess or security breaches to the interactive computer network 40, theinteractive computer network 40 and/or the various networking device(s)42 may include one or more networking device security measures 41including a firewall, and/or passwords/keys such as, for example, Wi-FiProtected Access (“WPA”) keys, and/or Wireless Application Protocol(“WAP”) keys. Accordingly, only authorized individuals or computers maygenerally have access to the interactive computer network 40 through thefirewall, via use of the password(s)/key(s), and/or any other networkingdevice security measure(s) 41.

The present system 10 further includes at least one digital media file60 initially disposed or saved on at least one of the media terminal(s)20 or media node(s) 30. Specifically, the digital media file(s) 60 maybe disposed on the media terminal(s) 20, the media node(s) 30, or both.However, it should be apparent that for purposes of the present system10, the digital media file 60 need not necessarily be created ororiginated on either the media terminal(s) 20 or the media node(s) 30.In particular, the digital media file(s) 60 may include virtually anyelectronic file or data such as a digital photograph, video, audio,animation, text, or any other electronic document or object.

Moreover, in at least one embodiment of the present system 10, the medianode(s) 30 is disposable within the wireless range 50, wherein the medianode 30 is detectable by the media terminal 20. In particular, as statedabove, in at least one embodiment, the media node 30 includes a portabledevice, such as a mobile or cellular phone, PDA, laptop, etc.Accordingly, the media node 30 may be disposed within, i.e., enter, theconfines of the wireless range 50, for example, when a user orindividual carries the media node 30 therein. In addition, for purposesof the present system 10, the media node 30 may be disposed within thewireless range 50 when the device is powered on, activated, or otherwiseconfigured into a discoverable and/or detectable state whilesimultaneously being physically disposed within the confines of thewireless range 50, and as such, the media node 30 need not necessarilybe portable or easily movable. For instance, while physically disposedwithin the confines of the wireless range 50, the media node(s) 30 maybe powered on or otherwise have wireless or Bluetooth capabilitiesactivated.

Furthermore, the media terminal(s) 20 disposed in accessible relation tothe interactive computer network 40 are structured to detect the medianode(s) 30 as the media node(s) 30 is disposed within the confines of oris otherwise detectable within the wireless range 50. Particularly, inat least one embodiment, each media node 30 includes a node identifierstructured to distinguish one media node 30 within the wireless range 50from another. For example, the node identifier may include a devicename, model/serial number, Media Access Control (“MAC”) address, orInternet Protocol (“IP”) address. Accordingly, as the media node 30enters or is otherwise disposed within the wireless range 50, the mediaterminal 20 is structured to detect and/or identify the media node 30,for example, by the corresponding node identifier.

In addition, at least one embodiment of the present system 10 includes aterminal program disposed in an accessible relation to the mediaterminal 20. In particular, the terminal program of at least oneembodiment is a computer software program structured to facilitate thepractice of the present system 10 in the intended fashion, at least fromthe media terminal 20 side of the system 10. The terminal program, of atleast one embodiment, may be disposed on the media terminal 20, such as,for example, on a hard drive, or other memory device associated with themedia terminal 20. In yet another embodiment, however, the terminalprogram may be accessible via the at least one interactive network 40,40′, such as, for example; via the World Wide Web. For example, in theembodiment wherein the terminal program is accessible via the World WideWeb, a user may direct a web browser disposed in the media terminal 20to a particular web site, which then runs or executes the terminalprogram and/or downloads the terminal program to the media terminal 20.

Either way, the terminal program may include at least one script whichis structured to consistently or periodically monitor the wireless range50 associated with the interactive computer network 40 for the existenceof media nodes 30. When a media node 30 is disposed within the wirelessrange 50, the terminal program may be structured or configured toautomatically alert a user at the media terminal 20 of the existence ordetection of the media node 20. In particular, the terminal program maydeploy a pop-up display, play an audio alarm or tone, etc. On the otherhand, the terminal program may be structured or configured to alert ornotify the user of any detected media nodes 30 only upon the user'sspecific instructions. For example, the media terminal 20, and inparticular the terminal program thereof, may be structured to list ordisplay the media nodes 30 currently disposed within the wireless range50 upon the user clicking on or otherwise manipulating a correspondingoption of the terminal program.

At least one embodiment of the present system 10 further includes acommunication link 70 structured to dispose the media terminal(s) 20 andthe media node(s) 30 in a communicative relation with one another viathe interactive computer network 40. In particular, the communicationlink 70 of the various embodiments of the present system 10 is initiatedor requested by the media terminal 20. As stated above, the mediaterminal 20 is structured to detect the media node(s) 30 disposed withinthe wireless range 50. As also stated above, the media node 30 may, butneed not, however, be configured to have access to the interactivecomputer network 40. For example, the interactive computer network 40and/or the corresponding networking device(s) 42 may be equipped withone or more security measures 41, including a WEP key or other password.The media node 30 may, but need not have access to the WEP key or othersecurity measure 41 so as to access the corresponding interactivecomputer network 40. Even so, the media terminal 20 is structured toinitiate a communication link 70 with the one or more detected medianodes 30 disposed within the wireless range 50, for example, by sendingand/or transmitting a request to the corresponding media node(s) 30 toestablish a communication link 70 therewith via the interactive computernetwork 40. As illustrated in FIG. 1, the media terminal 20 need not bedisposed within the wireless range 50 in order to detect the media nodes30 or to initiate a communication link 70 therewith. In at least oneembodiment of the present system 10, the media terminal 20 does,however, need to be disposed in an accessible relation with theinteractive computer network 40, for example, wirelessly or via a directcable 43.

More in particular, the communication link 70 of at least one embodimentof the present specification is structured to bypass one or more mediaterminal security measures 21, media node security measures 31, and/ornetworking device security measures 41. Moreover, the security measures21, 31, 41 may includes passwords, keys, firewalls, etc. structured tominimize or eliminate unauthorized access to the corresponding mediaterminal 20, media node 30, networking device(s) 42, and/or interactivecomputer network 40, 40′. Referring again to FIG. 1, in the embodimentwherein the interactive computer network 40 and the wireless range 50are at least partially defined by networking device(s) 42, such as arouter, access point, or switch, once established, the communicationlink 70 is structured to be disposed between the media terminal 20 andthe media node 30, and through the corresponding networking device(s)42. Particularly, in at least one implementation of the present system10, because the media terminal 20 is disposed in an accessible relationto the interactive computer network 40, and because the communicationlink 70 is initiated by the media terminal 20, the communication link 70can be established regardless of whether the corresponding media node 30independently has access to the interactive computer network 40. Inaddition, the initiation of the communication link 70 by the mediaterminal 20, such as through a request to establish a communication link70, at least partially allows the communication link 70 to bypass thefirewall or other media terminal security measure(s) 21.

Moreover, the media terminal 20 of at least one embodiment of thepresent system 10 may be structured or configured to automaticallyinitiate a communication link 70 with the detected media nodes 30.However, more practically, a user in control of 15. the media terminal20 may direct the media terminal 20 to initiate the communication link70 with one or more selected media node(s) 30, for example, via theterminal program. Similarly, the media node 30 may be structured orconfigured to automatically accept or decline creation of thecommunication link 70 initiated by the media terminal 20. However, in atleast one embodiment of the present system 10, the media node(s) 30 maybe structured or configured for a user in control of the media node 30to selectively accept or decline the creation or establishment of acommunication link 70 initiated by the corresponding media terminal 20.As such, in at least one embodiment, the media node 30 includes one ormore node programs structured to facilitate the practice of the presentsystem 10 in the intended fashion, at least from the media node 30 sideof the system 10.

Once the communication link 70 is initiated, accepted, and/or ultimatelyestablished between the media terminal 20 and the media node 30, thedigital media file(s) 60 may be selectively transmitted therebetween. Inparticular, if the digital media file 60 is initially disposed on themedia node 30, the media node 30 and the media terminal 20 maycooperatively communicate via the communication link 70 such that thedigital media file 60 may be transmitted from the media node 30 to themedia terminal 20. In addition, the converse is also true. Particularly,if the digital media file 60 is disposed on the media terminal 20, themedia node 30 and the media terminal 20 may cooperatively communicatevia the communication link 70 such that the digital media file 60 may betransmitted from the media terminal 20 to the media node 30.Furthermore, in at least one embodiment of the present system 10, thedevice on which the digital media file 60 is initially disposed, such asthe media node 30 or the media terminal 20, is structured to “push” thedigital media file 60 to the receiving device 20, 30 via thecommunication link 70. Similarly, in at least one embodiment, once thecommunication link 70 is established, the receiving device 20, 30 isstructured to “pull” the digital media file 60 from the transmittingdevice 30, 20 via the communication link 70.

For illustrative purposes only, the communication link 70, the terminalprogram, and/or the node program may be structured to include aselective set of parameters which define or limit the permissionsassociated with the communication link 70. In particular, in at leastone embodiment, the selective set of parameters may include the optionof transmitting the digital media file 60 via the communication link 70merely for purposes of displaying and/or playing the digital media file60, saving the digital media file 60, manipulating or otherwise editingthe digital media file 60, etc. In the various embodiments of thepresent system 10, it is contemplated that these parameters may beselected from either the media terminal 20 or the media node 30, atvarious times. For instance, the parameters may be selected by the mediaterminal 20, or a user in control thereof, when the communication link70 is initiated, or by either the media terminal 20 or the media node 30when the communication link 70 is accepted or created.

Furthermore, it is contemplated that the protocol 10 of the presentsystem includes a plurality of versions of the terminal program and/orthe node program, stated and described above. For instance, at least oneembodiment includes at least one limited version of the terminal and/ornode programs and at least one full version of the programs. It iscontemplated that the limited versions of the terminal and/or nodeprograms are distributed at no cost or at least a lower cost than thecorresponding full versions, and as such, provide limited functionality.Of course, the terminal and/or node programs, whether the limited and/orfull versions, may come pre-installed with the corresponding mediaterminal 20 or media node 30.

Moreover, for illustrative purposes only, FIG. 4 shows oneimplementation of the system 10 in accordance with the presentspecification, generally indicated as 100. In particular, and as above,in at least one embodiment, the media node 30 may include a portabledevice, such as for example, a cellular telephone, PDA, or mobilecomputer. For purposes of the illustrative implementation of FIG. 4, theinteractive computer network 40 includes a wireless range 50 located inone or more offices or rooms, wherein the media terminal 20 is alsodisposed within one of the offices or rooms in accessible relation tothe interactive computer network 40.

Furthermore, the digital media file 60 of the present illustrativeimplementation of FIG. 4 may be disposed on the media node 30, whereasthe user in control of the media node 30 desires to display the digitalmedia file 60 on the display device 26 of the media terminal 20. Asshown in FIG. 4, the media node 30 may be disposed within the wirelessrange 102. For example, the user in control of, and/or having possessionof, the media node 30 may walk into the office which is disposed withinthe wireless range 50. As stated above, once the media node 30 isdisposed within the wireless range 50, as shown at 104, the mediaterminal 20 is structured to detect the media node 20. The mediaterminal 20 may then initiate a communication link 70 between the mediaterminal 20 and the media node 30 via the interactive computer network40, as shown at 106, for instance, by sending a request thereto. Themedia node 30 may then accept the request by the media terminal 20,which establishes the communication link 70, as illustrated at 108 inFIG. 4. Once the communication link 70 is established, the digital mediafile 60 may be transmitted, i.e., “pushed” or “pulled”, between themedia node 30 and the media terminal 20, as shown at 110.

More in particular, because the digital media file 60, for purposes ofthe illustrative implementation shown in FIG. 4, is initially disposedon the media node 30, the digital media file 60 may be transmitted,i.e., “pushed” or “pulled”, to the media terminal 20 from the media node30 via the communication link 70. In particular, the media terminal 20may display the digital media file 60, save the digital media file 60,and/or manipulate or edit the digital media file 60. In addition, themedia terminal 20, in at least one embodiment, may be structured totransmit the digital media file 60 and/or the edited media file back tothe media node 30 via the communication link 70.

Since many modifications, variations and changes in detail can be madeto the system as present herein, it is intended that all matters in theforegoing description and shown in the accompanying drawings beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense. Thus, the scopeof the present system should be determined by the appended claims andtheir legal equivalents.

Now that the invention has been described,

1-25. (canceled)
 26. A method of transferring a digital media file froma media node to a media terminal, the medial terminal including asecurity measure, comprising: wirelessly detecting, by the mediaterminal, the media node; initiating a wireless connection between themedia terminal and the media node; and wireless receiving, by the mediaterminal and over the wireless connection, the media file from the medianode, wherein the wireless connection does not include the securitymeasure.
 27. The method of claim 26, wherein the creation of thewireless connection is initiated by the media terminal.
 28. The methodof claim 26, wherein the creation of the wireless connection isinitiated by the media node.
 29. The method of claim 26, wherein themedia file is pulled from the media node.
 30. The method of claim 26,wherein the media file is pushed from the media node.
 31. The method ofclaim 26, wherein the media node is a portable device.
 32. The method ofclaim 26, wherein the security measure is a firewall.
 33. The method ofclaim 26, wherein the transmission of the media file from the media nodeto the media terminal completely bypasses the security measure.
 34. Amedia terminal configured to receive a digital media file from a medianode, comprising: a memory; a wireless receiver; a security measure; anda processor configured to wirelessly detect the media node, create awireless connection between the media terminal and the media node,receive, using the wireless receiver, the media file from the medianode, wherein the wireless connection does not include the securitymeasure.
 35. The media terminal of claim 34, wherein the creation of thewireless connection is initiated by the media terminal.
 36. The mediaterminal of claim 34, wherein the creation of the wireless connection isinitiated by the media node.
 37. The media terminal of claim 34, whereinthe media file is pulled from the media node.
 38. The media terminal ofclaim 34, wherein the media file is pushed from the media node.
 39. Themedia terminal of claim 34, wherein the media node is a portable device.40. The media terminal of claim 34, wherein the security measure is afirewall.
 41. The media terminal of claim 34, wherein the transmissionof the media file from the media node to the media terminal completelybypasses the security measure.
 42. A method of transferring a digitalmedia file from a media node to a media terminal, the medial terminalincluding a security measure, comprising: wirelessly detecting, by themedia node, the media terminal; initiating a wireless connection betweenthe media terminal and the media node; and wireless transmitting, by themedia node and over the wireless connection, the media file to the mediaterminal, wherein the wireless connection does not include the securitymeasure.
 43. The method of claim 42, wherein the creation of thewireless connection is initiated by the media terminal.
 44. The methodof claim 42, wherein the creation of the wireless connection isinitiated by the media node.
 45. The method of claim 42, wherein themedia file is pulled from the media node.
 46. The method of claim 42,wherein the media file is pushed from the media node.
 47. The method ofclaim 42, wherein the media node is a portable device.
 48. The method ofclaim 42, wherein the security measure is a firewall.
 49. The method ofclaim 42, wherein the transmission of the media file from the media nodeto the media terminal completely bypasses the security measure.
 50. Amedia node configured to transmit a digital media file to a mediaterminal having a security measure comprising: a memory; a wirelesstransmitter; and a processor configured to wirelessly detect the mediaterminal, create a wireless connection between the media terminal andthe media node, transmit, using the wireless receiver, the media filefrom the media node, wherein the wireless connection does not includethe security measure.
 51. The media node of claim 50, wherein thecreation of the wireless connection is initiated by the media terminal.52. The media node of claim 50, wherein the creation of the wirelessconnection is initiated by the media node.
 53. The media node of claim50, wherein the media file is pulled from the media node.
 54. The medianode of claim 50, wherein the media file is pushed from the media node.55. The media node of claim 50, wherein the media node is a portabledevice.
 56. The media node of claim 50, wherein the security measure isa firewall.
 57. The media node of claim 50, wherein the transmission ofthe media file from the media node to the media terminal completelybypasses the security measure.